William Dick (veterinarian)

William Dick (1793 – 1866) was a Scottish veterinarian and founder of the Dick Vet School in Edinburgh, the first veterinary college in Scotland. He is responsible for major advances in the field of veterinary science and the profession as a whole.

He was born in White Horse Close on the Canongate on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile on 6 May 1793. At this time in history this was quite a humble address. His father John Dick was a young farrier who had moved south from Aberdeen with his young wife, Jean.

He was educated by the Rev J Robinson at Paul’s Work, a small complex of buildings where Waverley Station now stands. His higher education was at Mr Keeson’s School in Shakespeare Square (at the east end of Princes Street).

In 1815 the family moved to a courtyard off a back lane in the New Town, Edinburgh, 15 Clyde Street, now replaced by Edinburgh Bus Station.

The following year he began extra-mural classes, studying anatomy under Dr John Barclay and quickly fell in love with this field. He remained friends with Barclay until his death. Due to his background he decided to combine his love of horses with his love of anatomy and at Barclay’s suggestion travelled to London late in 1817, to specifically study as a veterinary surgeon under Edward Coleman in Camden Town. The study here was brief and he received his Diploma in January 1818 after only three months.

He returned to Edinburgh to begin his own veterinary college, based at his father’s courtyard, and with the support of his sister, Mary Dick. After a slow start (only 4 students in 1819) greater progress began to be made. The course consisted of two lectures per week for 23 weeks. It covered the anatomy and diseases of a range of larger animals, largely farm stock plus dogs. He also encouraged students to attend extra-mural anatomy lectures at the Medical School within Edinburgh University. The college expanded to absorb other buildings on Clyde Street over the next twenty years.

...
Wikipedia